8:30 – 9:00 a.m.
CHECK-IN & CONTINENTAL BREAKFAST

9:00 – 10:00 a.m.
A Conversation with Senior Agency Leaders from the EEOC, NLRB, and DOL About Today’s Toughest Questions
This session will cover a host of current topics with these agency leaders, including current agency initiatives, new interagency cooperation efforts and memoranda that have been recently issued, how COVID is still impacting each agency and its activities, the continued emphasis on independent contractor and joint employer issues, and more.
– Jennifer A. Abruzzo; General Counsel, NLRB
– Jessica Looman; Principal Deputy Administrator, Wage and Hour, USDOL
– Jocelyn Samuels; Vice Chair, EEOC
– Co-Moderators: Michael J. Moberg & M. William O’Brien

10:00 – 10:10 a.m.
BREAK

10:10 – 11:20 a.m.
LGBTQ+ Employee Rights – Key Legal and Practical Considerations for Employees, Employers, Unions and Agencies in 2023
Advanced discussion by a roundtable comprised of senior agency leaders from the NLRB and Minnesota Department of Human Rights; experienced in-house and outside attorneys in private and public sectors; and current and former diversity, equity, and inclusion directors. Topics will include gender pronoun listings, requests/requirements, and refusals; workplace implications of organizational stances on laws that are anti- or pro-LGBTQ+ rights; conflicts with religious accommodation claims; cases that have followed Bostock; and more.
– Panelists: Jennifer A. Abruzzo, Ann Jenrette-Thomas, Ji Hae Kim & Nick Pladson
– Co-Moderators/Panelists: Rebecca J. Bernhard & Margaret A. Luger-Nikolai

11:20 – 11:30 a.m.
BREAK

11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
The Dobbs Decision: In-Depth Analysis of the Reversal of Roe v. Wade on Employees, Employers and Unions
This seasoned panel is comprised of senior agency leaders from the EEOC and NLRB; private and public sector labor, employment, and appellate attorneys; and an employee benefits expert. They will have an in-depth roundtable discussion focusing on the legal and practical implications of workplace issues stemming from Dobbs, including employer obligations to pregnant employees; Title VII’s protections for workers’ decisions about abortion; the impact of employer decisions to grant travel benefits for out-of-state access to abortion services; union and employer bargaining obligations; protected employee discussions and actions; potential disparate impact claims; and more.
– Panelists: Justin D. Cummins, Sheila Engelmeier, Katherine L. MacKinnon & Jocelyn Samuels
– Co-Moderators/Panelists: Barbara J. D’Aquila & Nichole L. Harville

12:30 – 12:45 p.m.
LUNCH (provided to in-person attendees)

12:45 p.m. – 1:15 p.m.
NEW! Lunchtime Roundtables
0.5 standard CLE credit applied for in-person attendees only
A great chance to share and receive insights from colleagues in an informal setting. Facilitators will join you, prepped on the topics and ready to keep a vibrant discussion going.

Choose 1 from the following topics –

• Legalization of THC Edibles in Minnesota – Employment Law Implications
  – Co-Facilitators: David E. Schlesinger & Timothy Y. Wong
  
  
• Maintaining Safety During Contentious Workplace Conversations
  – Co-Facilitators: Anjie Flowers & Pamela M. Spera
  
  
• From Remote Work to “Quiet Quitting” and Work-Life Balance – A Discussion about Changing Perceptions and Realities Around Work and Workplaces
  – Co-Facilitators: Maria Agostinho Campbell & Brian T. Rochel

1:15 – 1:30 p.m.
BREAK

1:30 – 2:20 p.m.
The Culture Wars at Work – The Implications for Free Speech, Equal Opportunity and Labor Relations
The current legal controversies arising out of the culture wars have important implications for workplace law, including constitutional, equal opportunity, and labor law. This panel will analyze and discuss the legal issues related to employee and employer speech regarding race, gender identity, sexual orientation, and political candidates; DEI training; adherence to employment policies such as vaccine mandates; as well as claims of religious freedom in public and private workplaces, like the claims at issue in the 50-yard line prayer decision and the Hobby Lobby case.
– Brendan D. Cummins & Anjie Flowers

2:20 – 2:30 p.m.
BREAK

2:30 – 3:30 p.m.
Activating DEI in Labor Agreements
Unions and employers are negotiating contract provisions to support retention of their racially diverse workforces. These provisions address layoffs, performance standards, representation rights, and benefits. The panel will identify negotiated language and explore the legal guardrails for this route to protection of diversity.
– Panelists: Pat Arseneault, Tina Burnside & Jill Coyle
– Moderator: Kathryn M. Engdahl

3:30 – 3:40 p.m.
BREAK

3:40 – 4:40 p.m.
Hot Topics in Legal Ethics for Labor and Employment Lawyers
1.0 ethics credit applied for
Professional responsibility lawyers Aram Desteian and Tim Greenfield discuss interesting, timely topics as applied to contexts that labor and employment lawyers encounter, such as: navigating potential conflicts when a person or entity other than your client is paying for your services; duties of competence as applied to advising on new technologies that monitor remote employees; and more.
– Aram V. Desteian & Timothy J. Greenfield

Free Bonus Post-Institute Webcast

As a special bonus, Institute attendees also may attend the following post-Institute webcast for free! Instructions on how to register for free will be provided to attendees at Institute.

Tuesday, January 10, 2023
12:00 – 1:00 p.m. CST
AI for Workplace Decision-Making – Understanding the Utility and Risks
Advanced discussion by a panel of experts featuring Victoria A. Lipnic, Chair of the Artificial Intelligence – Technical Advisory Committee organized by the Institute for Workplace Equality. Ms. Lipnic is also a former EEOC Commissioner and former EEOC Acting Chair.
– Eric Dunleavy, Victoria A. Lipnic, Marko J. Mrkonich & Christine E. Webber

LIVE IN-PERSON
Thursday, November 17, 2022
Minnesota CLE Conference Center
600 Nicollet Mall, Suite 370
Seventh Street & Nicollet Mall, Third Floor City Center
Minneapolis, Minnesota

ONLINE REPLAY
Monday, December 12, 2022
Attend online
Online replay includes all plenary sessions; it does not include the 30-minute small-group discussion segment. A moderator will be available to answer questions by email.

$295 MSBA members / $295 paralegals / $345 standard rate

Other discounts that may apply:

• Season Pass Discount
• New Lawyer Discount

Scholarships available!
Need-based scholarships are available for in-person and online seminars. For further information or to obtain a scholarship application, contact us at 800-759-8840 or customerservice@minncle.org.

IN-PERSON INSTITUTE:

Minnesota CLE is applying to the Minnesota State Board of CLE for 6.5 CLE credits, including 1.0 ethics credit. The maximum number of total credits attendees may claim for this program is 6.5 credits.

Minnesota CLE also has applied to the Minnesota State Bar Association for 6.5 labor and employment law specialist credits.

ONLINE REPLAY:

Minnesota CLE is applying to the Minnesota State Board of CLE for 6.0 CLE credits, including 1.0 ethics credit. The maximum number of total credits attendees may claim for this program is 6.0 credits.

Minnesota CLE also has applied to the Minnesota State Bar Association for 6.0 labor and employment law specialist credits.